Harvesting the Hidden Value of Vacant Lands: A GIS-Based Approach to Urban Agriculture
Abstract
The study aims to determine the urban agriculture potential of vacant lands in the city center of Usak, Turkey, and to create a GIS-based urban agriculture inventory. Our analysis focuses on available vacant lands of the municipally-owned lands, foundation lands, public properties, forest lands, and pasture lands within the boundaries of the implementary development plan of the city center of Usak. The optimal urban agriculture map was created using GIS and considered different categories of urban agriculture, including small-scale agriculture, large-scale agriculture, community gardens, and impervious surface or poor soil urban agriculture. The study results showed a significant amount of vacant lands in Usak suitable for urban agriculture, with 7.32 ha being highly suitable, 80.58 ha moderately suitable, and 110.94 ha marginally suitable. Results indicate that vacant lands in the city can be utilized for urban agriculture, which can provide numerous benefits to the local food system.
Keywords
Urban agriculture potential, urban agriculture, vacant lands, geographic information system, land use
Thanks
This article is produced from a doctoral dissertation completed in 2020 at Suleyman Demirel University's Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science, in the Department of Landscape Architecture. Hüseyin Berk Türker is the author of this doctoral dissertation, while Murat Akten served as the thesis advisor. The article complies with national and international research and publication ethics. Ethics Committee approval was not required for this study.
References
- Ackerman, K., Conard, M., Culligan, P., Plunz, R., Sutto, M. P. & Whittinghill, L. (2014). Sustainable food systems for future cities: The potential of urban agriculture. The Economic and Social Review, 45(2, Summer), 189-206.
- Akten, M. (2008). Isparta Ovasının Optimal Alan Kullanım Planlaması Üzerine Bir Araştırma. SDÜ Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Peyzaj Mimarlığı ABD, 247s, Doctoral Dissertation, Isparta.
- Akten, M., Yılmaz, O. & Gül, A. (2009). Alan kullanım planlamasında rekreasyonel alan kullanım ölçütlerinin belirlenmesi: Isparta Ovası örneği. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Dergisi, Seri: A, Cilt: 2, ISSN: 1302-7085, Sayfa: 119-133, Isparta.
- Akpınar, N. (1994). Açık kömür ocaklarında çevresel etkilerin değerlendirilmesi ve doğa onarımı çalışmalarının Milas-Sekköy Açık Kömür Ocağı örneğinde irdelenmesi. Ankara Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Peyzaj Mimarlığı ABD, Ankara, 277s.
- Allen, L. (2015). Growing in the city: Analyzing public urban agriculture in Ottawa. Carleton University, Doctoral Dissertation, 164s, Ottawa, Ontario.
- Amirtahmasebi, R. (2008). Food urbanism: urban agriculture as a strategy to facilitate social mobility in informal settlements. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Doctoral dissertation.155p, USA.
- Armar-Klemesu, M. (2000). Urban agriculture and food security, nutrition and health. Growing cities, growing food. Urban Agriculture on The Policy Agenda, 99-118.
- Balmer, K., Gill, J., Kaplinger, H., Miller, J., Peterson, M., Rhoads, A., Rosenbloom, P. & Wall, T. (2005). The diggable city: Making urban agriculture a planning priority. Portland. Portland State University, Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning.
- Bryld, E. (2003). Potentials, problems, and policy implications for urban agriculture in developing countries. Agriculture and Human Values, 20(1), 79-86.
- Deelstra, T. & Girardet, H. (2000). Urban agriculture and sustainable cities.